La ciudad perdida

7.0/10

I actually enjoyed this film way more than I expected. It perfectly fits into its categories of action, adventure, comedy, and romance.

The story was very enjoyable. It started off kind of wonky and felt like I was in for a bad time, but once the "prologue" passed and the main portion of the movie started it got much better.

The chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum worked surprisingly well, and only got better as the film progressed. I did enjoy Daniel Radcliffe as the antagonist. More of a bratty rich boy than an evil "I want to murder everyone" kind of bad guy.

By the end I felt that the big part of the film was that the romance was definitely geared towards the women while the action parts were geared towards the men. The comedy could've gone either way, and some may find certain parts funnier than others, both scenes and what's actually funny.

I also enjoyed the score. The way certain soundtracks were worked into the scenes noticeably helped enhance them (as soundtracks should).

Overall, I think this film is perfect for a movie date night. It's funny, it's romantic, it has a pretty good action/adventure story and it's not as cheesy as most romcoms tend to be.

I hope my review helps you make a choice on this film. Until next time.... Enjoy the show!

Bonkers that this film is rated only 6.1 on Imdb right now--it's better than that. Proof that folks who rate movies on here are sometimes guilty of the same crime that professional critics frequently make--looking the gift horse in the mouth. As you can see folks, this is not an art-house film--it's pure entertainment, and it delivers on that count.

My wife and I saw this in the theater--the Brad Pitt cameo alone is worth the price of admission and both Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock have lots of funny lines and pure situational/physical comedy too. What's not to like? A cast that's easy on the eyes and talented to boot, a fairly decent script and a love story with enough heft but still airy and entertaining.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, but on the whole, I did, some bits of it were pretty silly, but there were some nice moments, and a few bits that had me in stitches. Some of the sweeter, romance moments were maybe a little corny, but that's what was expected I guess.

Nice special effects, it looks great, I loved the locations used. You can argue it had a somewhat old fashioned, maybe old school vibe about it, but sometimes you just need a bit of silliness in your life.

Nicely acted, they all did a good job, Daniel Radcliffe was good fun, always enjoy his work.

It really does make the most of Channing Tatum's looks, and it does work, he is ridiculously handsome, and there are several tongue in cheek moments, he seems like a good sport.

7/10.

Yes, The Lost City is a sometime dimwitted, formulaic romantic adventure like Romancing the Stone and Indiana Jones with not much creativity that I could tell. No, it is not totally boring because it offers a relaxing antidote to COVID anxieties plaguing us for two years. The cutthroat island shenanigans, with reclusive romance novelist Loretta (Sandra Bullock) and her cover model Alan (Channing Tatum) are kidnapped looking for buried treasure.

What makes this romance mildly enjoyable is the charm of its stars, Sandy/Loretta just a bit too old but looking fab, and Channing, buff and self-deprecating enough to generate a spark with Loretta. Daniel Radcliff as baddie Abagail Fairfax seems out of place, but then that may be the point.

At our AMC-like theater there were a few other audience members far enough from us that we could cut up and converse, much like renting the theater for ourselves. Some solid scenes of repartee reminiscent of screwball comedies added to the pleasure of the island scenery and robust chases along with our not-always witty declamations.

I would recommend you staying home and enjoying the house invasion Windfall on Netflix except that we enjoyed being out and seeing what Hollywood could do when it barely tries. And when Brad Pitt does a cameo with surprising dexterity, your retro romance Lost City is fully updated, and even semi-glamorous if you ask me. And you didn't.

The Lost City has pieces that work and pieces that don't. Placing pretenders into an actual adventure is good for laughs and heart, yet much of this script is generic. Unimaginative MacGuffins, flat villains, and predictable romances are individually forgivable, but together, they override the premise's charm. Furthermore, the dialogue, humor, and plot devices are subpar. The cast enhances the material (especially Pitt and Radcliffe), but some scenes are groaners. Tatum's charisma shines through and Pitt's cameo provides flavor, but that isn't enough to pull The Lost City out of mediocrity. It isn't painful, but The Lost City misses more than it hits.

Meanwhile, The Lost City's filmmaking is average. Its minor positives are the cinematography (intermittently dramatizing comedy and action), the sound (selling the combat and jungle setting), the production design (primarily real but often computerized), and the effects (employing real explosions amongst the CGI). Conversely, the editing occasionally sags (lingering on unessential jokes) and the music is distractingly trendy (forcing fun, rather than serving the narrative). Lastly, The Lost City lacks cohesion. Its humor and emotions never tonally blend, and instead take turns (which disconnects viewers). Ultimately, The Lost City has mild appeal, but functions inconsistently.

Writing: 3/10 Direction: 3/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Acting: 5/10 Editing: 4/10 Sound: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack: 4/10 Production Design: 6/10 Casting: 8/10 Effects: 6/10

Overall Score: 5.1/10.